Method of and apparatus for pressing footwear



F. J. MECDONALD METHGD oF AND APPARATUS FOR PRESSING FOOTWEAR Filed May 19, 1924 I5 Sheets-Sheet 1 P39" A f@ f6 D' 5d J7 jg .//wfzm JHJUHH/d.

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is a specication.

This invention reaestn h@ mam W of lubbe'r :footwear auch as" spo matics and @im Rike., and mom to the application of o @mh is appldl Mont; the um; and folded over @mo the bottoi {mms} may i u of the shoe thev work, against and the forms 26, 27 as described being adapted to be spread apart for the reception and to be closed'in upon the bagsV to,position the latter against the shoe before they are inflated, so that the overlapped portions of the bags may slide upon each other in such closing movement and thus avoid wrinkling of their werk-contacting faces when they are inflated.

The bags 24, 25 secured to the forms only by respective inilating stems 33, 34, extending through and secured in apertures in the Walls of the respective forms 26, 27, and connected With fluid pressure lines 35, 36, which are merged into a common supply line' 37 connected with the line 13.l The supply line 37 is provided with a three-way valve 38 adapted to be operated by a lever 39 fulcrumed in a bracket 40 mounted upon one .of the cylinder-supporting arms 18,

\the free end of said lever being positioned` adjacent the piston-rod 15 and adapted to be depressed,to admit pressure fluid to the bags 24, 25, by a dog 41 mounted on said piston rod. A tension spring 42 secured to the arm 18 and to said lever between its fulcrum and the valve 38 is provided for turning the valve in the-op osite direction when the piston rod is raise to deflate the bags 24, 25. 1

The bag manipulatinv movements of the forms 26, 27 consist in te movement of one of said forms longitudinally with relation tothe other, and in theconcurrent spreading apart' of'their respective leg portions upon their pivots 28, 29. The form 27 is adapted for longitudinal movement for adjustment purposes only, being provided with a threaded draw-rod 43 engaging its pivot pin 29 and extending through anut -ille-swiveled in an ear 45 formed on the upper sui"- face of the top-plate 11, said nut being provided with a' handwheel 46 for easy adjustment of the draw-rod 43.

F or moving the form 26 longitudinally with relation to the form 27, a draw-rod i-7Y is secured to its pivot pin 28 and guided'in an apertured ear 48 formed on the upper surface of the top plate 11 adjacent thereto. Said draw-rod is provided, at an intermediate point, with a transversely disposed stud pin .49 seated in slots 50, 50 in the forked upper end of a lever 51, the latter being fulcrumed at 52 in a bracket l2 formed on the cylinder 12, and having an arcuate lower` end portion which' is provided with a cam roller 53k adjacent the piston rod 15 and adapted to be engaged by acam 54 mounted thereon, the construction" being` such that downward movement of the pistonrod 15 causes the cam 54ttoiact'uate the lever 51 to move the form 26 a' 'the force of a tension spring 55,' the latter being attached at one end to said. lever and at its other end to a Vengaging faces, to prevent damage work and to compensate for minor irregund bag 24 inward toward stud 56 in the bracket 123,'and being adapted to restore said parts to inoperative position as therise of the piston-rod disengages the cam 54 from the roller 53.

For laterally spreadingapart the leg. p0rtions of. the respective forms 26, 27,. t0 widen the middle portion' of the work receiving space, links 57, 57 ai'e secured to the respective shackle-bolts 26n and to respective springs 5858, the other ends of said springs being lattached to studs 59, 59 mounted on apertui'ed ears 60, -60 formed on the upper surface of the posite sides thereof.

For urging thev bags 21, 25against the instep portions of the work, the leg portions Vof the respective forms 26, 27 are adapted to be forced laterally toward each other as shown, against the force of the springs 58, by shoes 61, 61 slidably mounted upon the finished surface 11 walls of said forms. Each of said shoes has formed in its outer ,face a socket to receive the end of a ball-ended push-rod 62 the other end of -which is slidably mounted in the aperture in the ear 60. An intermediate poition of each push-rod 62 is formed with screw threads 62, and mounted thereon is a nut 63 formed :it ally extending ,studs 64, 621, the latterbeing seatedfin respective slots 65, 65, in the forked upper endl of a lever 66. The lever 66 is fulcrunied at 67 in a bracket 12b formed on the cylinder 12, end has'its lower end portion. curved toward the piston-rod 15, a cami'oller 68 being journaled in said lower end adjacent said piston-rod and adapted to be engaged by a cam 69 mounted upon the latter. The outer end of the push rod 62 is squared as at- 62b to accommodate a wrenc`h or crank by which it may be rotated to vary the space between the shoe 61l and the nut opposite sides with latertop-plate 11 at opand abutting the outer ieu Y 63 in adjusting the apparatus for work ofA different sizes. A plurality of angular brackets 70, 70 mounted upon the tcp plate 1l at each side of the forms 26, 27, are

lformed with. overhanging portions which overlie the upper surfaces of said forms. 'to

hanfrinv` resser-arni 71 is Jrovided with 3D h two, dewnwardly extending, adjustably mounted resser-feet 72 72 of suitable length to engage thetop ofthe last and the` l toe portion of thc shoe thereon. Said presser-feet are provided with resilient inaterial 73, 73 such as rubber, on their Workto the larities in the size of the same.

The presser-arni 71 is mounted on the upper end of a vertical shaft 74- which is Journaled in apertured bosses 75, 75 formed on on one of the cylinder the top plate 11. and

th@ jfs E; ivmiy :md eveniyonio fieiih Mier 'Ni fiie silos.' Reversal (if balm-levez.' dien fuesmes the appu- ,ifi'ii'ig pas' Lion, permitting the led wm o bs ii-eimoe;

by mi@ mm?. mi' hezi as shawn., and to construct auch si: ad at its Ehem iii U rsfnsui7 su hn; i'iliey may be fitted diy mg zigaizxs tim slime piti/ox' To iniation wihu such iungi-tudina miiiipi'esson 0i' their woi'lez-wiimeting; portfons und consequent Winiiiingg as may i'ssult whu a curved bag mi Car oisui'iicielii'ly loose it is 'closed against the 'fwd bhs shoe soieiy by iiiizition of the img.

d i0 said Wholly Vlimit my eluims t0 the e'xzwt proce- Quintus im' pressing iootwcar, said A mmius coin'irising `:l flexible diaphragm lnaixibor miapted to it smoothly bout (he sie 'face of the WO1-LI, adjacent the sol@ pm @j which' i', is sscm. from natural shape 'and menus for for@ siefemfis' 'Uii'iei with im arcuate "C: ing' pressure 'uiii against aii minbei tra v zi im f D 'less against the work. in f Wpzi'atus 1" pressing 00t\ves1' said zippzmmls compi ing, 2i fiuid-containing.bag sii-:mure aflalic'd t@ iii; against lie sideiacc oij the wsxfk without subslamiia distortion i119; said stiuciui@ from and iowarffi die work Firs; 1111s 750i whipped ends and :ihm-'L the Work adiacent the .la l

nmpe. so be closed in toward @Ufa foin the Work, and means said backing means. "fu-minis for pressing' jrfootwea, said coiiprisiiig u plurality of bags ovsiiappsd ends lmid s out Work adjacent the @mi bcking means foi' i 'be cossd in tmvmwand s Work? means foi? so tion iisicrrf without substantial distoriicmwm its natural shape, and inv/ans :for mov-` s. iaped bag to# s' was@ mici backing; means for iiudificatioius may be resoru'ed to within which the backing` means are provided with intertting tongue-and-groove portions.

9. Apparatus for pressing footwear, said apparatus comprising a pair o'f U-shaped, fluid-containing lbags adapted to fit about the work adjacent the sole portion thereof, the legs of each U-shaped bagl terminatingl at the sides of the work, backing means for said bags, at the ends of.` the work, adapted to be moved from and toward each other, and backing means for said bags, at the sides of the Work, adapted to be' moved from and towardA each other.

l0. Apparatus as defined in claim 9 in which the backing means comprises a pair of members hingedl together, at each end of, the work, the members of each of said pairs having tongue-andgroove portions which are interealated with similar portions of the members of the other pair, at the sides of the work.

11. Apparatus for pressingfootwear, said apparatus comprising a bag structure adapted to it about the work adjacent the sole thereof, and articulated backing members surrounding said bag structure and adapted' to be closed the work.

12. Apparatus for pressingfootwear, said apparatus comprising a support Y for the in toward and opened out from work, means for clamping the workon said support, .a diaphragm memberfonI said' support ,adapted to tit about the work; adjacent the sole portion thereof, and means/for aotuating said clamping means, and for applying Huid pressure to said diaphragm member to press it against the work, in

work, a bagr structure on saidsupport, 'adapt`A ed to fit against the work, backing, means for said bag` structure adaptedvto beclosed in toward and opened out frpm the. work,

means for conducting pressureuid into said bag structure, and means yfor actuatingl said backing means and. said uld conducting` means in timed relation.

l5. Apparatus forpressing footwear, said apparatus comprisingy a support for the work, means for ciampmg the work on said support, abatestructure y,on said support.v

adapted to fit against' the Work, backing means for said bag structure adapted to be closed yin toward and opened outdromv the work, means for conducting piessurefluid lnto and exhausting 1t from said'bag strueture, 'and .means for instrumentalities in `timed relation. 16; The Amethod of pressing footwear which comprises mounting the-Work in a 'space defined by a piurality, of distensible members, moving said members to .close them 1in toward the work and thereafter distend ing thenriagainst the work. U Y

Invwitnes's whereof I have Ahereunto set myhand this 17th day of May, 1924.

raamt J. incnonann.

actuating all of said 

